How much to charge bush hogging per acre

[MESSMAKER]

That's exactly why the first cut is ALWAYS billed on an hourly rate. Once it's been cut and I know where the obstacles are and what the terrain is like, I can give a firm price for maintenance mowing but not before I've cut it once on an hourly rate and maintenance cuts in the summer need to be no more than 6 - 8 weeks apart.

You have to charge the customer more if you don't cut the first time by the hour. A five acre lot can take from 5 hours to as little as two. If I am mowing the unknown, I will price it 20-30% more than I think it might take in order to C.M.A. I frequently let the customer choose how he would like the job quoted. When I give them the choice of hourly, by the acre or by the job they frequently pick the job price and I end up making more, but it was their choice.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

What do you do if you see the property and it looks like it hasn't been mowed in 10 years, and you know darned good and well there could be old T-posts, barbed wire, landscape timbers, engine blocks, clothes line posts, etc. hidden in there that could damage your equipment?

What do "I" do?? I tell my customer AHEAD OF TIME, that I will be going slow because I can't see everything that's in that tall grass... It's also why I charge by the hour! I've yet to have a customer complain, as they can see for themselves the problem.

BUT, most of all, I don't do that kind of work with one of my tinker toy tractors either! I use a farm tractor with a well made rotary cutter!! That way, when (not if) I hit something, I don't have a bunch of repairs, like today when I hit this,

It's part of an old car frame, and I've cut that spot at least 3 times in the past, but never seen or hit it before! It was partially buried, and the winter frost slowly pushed it up... I've hit hundreds if not thousands of things like this with my rotary cutter and never had to replace anything except rebuild the slip clutch a time or two!

Nothing broke, heck it didn't even slip my drive line clutch! HD equipment pays for itself every time!

SR

 

[ovrszd]

Rob, I think anyone working for hire would rather price by the hour. In today's world I just think you'll find a lot of potential customers that want to know a total cost upfront.

That's surely not the case with your repeat customers or customers referred to you by them who know you can be trusted.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Rob, I think anyone working for hire would rather price by the hour. In today's world I just think you'll find a lot of potential customers that want to know a total cost upfront.

That's surely not the case with your repeat customers or customers referred to you by them who know you can be trusted.

That ALL want to know the total cost up front, but my customers under stand why I can't quote that, at least NOT with out throwing out some really high guess, and I won't do that.

I have asked what part on the work is "most important" to get done first, and then suggested they come out and stop me after a certain dollar amount...

SR

 

[TSO]

That ALL want to know the total cost up front, but my customers under stand why I can't quote that, at least NOT with out throwing out some really high guess, and I won't do that.

I have asked what part on the work is "most important" to get done first, and then suggested they come out and stop me after a certain dollar amount...

SR

No offense...

But any professional in ANY field, including for-hire tractor work, should be able to provide a cost estimate prior to starting the work. If one can't, they should be considered amateur.

It comes with experience. To properly estimate jobs, one will have have learned by past experience, the outcome of both bidding too high and too low.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

No offense...

But any professional in ANY field, including for-hire tractor work, should be able to provide a cost estimate prior to starting the work. If one can't, they should be considered amateur.

It comes with experience. To properly estimate jobs, one will have have learned by past experience, the outcome of both bidding too high and too low.

That's OK, you can call me an amateur.....I probably am, as I've only been doing this since the 80's... lol

BUT, when someone tells YOU that they want you to cut some trails through a long wide willow patch (willows over your head) and they will stand on the other end a few hundred yards away holding up a pole with a flag on it for you to aim for, good luck telling them how long it will take to cut ALL the trails they want and how many acres it is when you are done!

SR

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

The way I see it, there is definitely a need and market for both pricing strategies. Using one or the other makes you neither an amature or a professional, its about knowing which method is best for both parties for the given situation that makes the difference. If it's a cut and dry situation, I'd expect as fixed price as either the contractor or customer. If there are a bunch of unknowns, hourly is far better for both.

 

[ovrszd]

That ALL want to know the total cost up front, but my customers under stand why I can't quote that, at least NOT with out throwing out some really high guess, and I won't do that.

I have asked what part on the work is "most important" to get done first, and then suggested they come out and stop me after a certain dollar amount...

SR

I agree Rob. I think you are on top of the customer base you have to work with. I also think, as I said earlier, thru word of mouth they know they can trust you. Sounds like it's working for you. I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[ovrszd]

No offense...

But any professional in ANY field, including for-hire tractor work, should be able to provide a cost estimate prior to starting the work. If one can't, they should be considered amateur.

It comes with experience. To properly estimate jobs, one will have have learned by past experience, the outcome of both bidding too high and too low.

I try to never suggest to someone that I know their World better than they. Just like I'd never suggest to you which tractor you should have. I know you've struggled thru that and hopefully are content with your current equipment. I think Rob is content with his current Mode of Operation. Everyone is happy.

 

[TSO]

I guess I was speaking to predictable work ... Rob's example of cutting an unknown trail of unknown length is not predictable, so an up front cost, as I suggested, may not apply. However, I still think you should be able to ballpark a cost in that scenario.

To be honest, if I asked you to give me a ballpark price for cutting a trail thru my property, I would expect a ballpark price, with the understanding that it may work out to be higher or lower as we go. But, if you just said "I don't know, depends on how long it takes..." Then I'd likely be looking for someone else who could actually ballpark a price. And I would say, "thank you, no disrespect but I'd like to know just how much $$ I may be spending here."

I'm not calling you an amateur. I'm saying that someone who can't price a job accurately is an amateur. You clearly have experience, and I'm sure, if push came to shove, you could provide an up front price to 99% of your jobs.

Speaking of amateur, I have been one (haven't we all?) In many different fields. I learned the hard way how to price jobs. Learned how to lose money, break even, and make different levels of profit. In fact, in some areas as my business evolves, I am still learning these things.